On Gaza, the EU has been extremely engaged, and provided lots of financial and diplomatic support. Remember the Madrid summit and the Oslo agreements? It so happens that, on Gaza, Israel plays a major role. It also happens that the US does too. I don't focus on them, but they're part of the picture, and not exactly in the background either. I have brought up what I think the EU has and has not done, as has DoDo.

I have also given some of my opinion of what Europe does and should do, and its failures. You chose to react to an afterthought mention of UNIFIL, and to the issue of the Mohammed Cartoons. How about

Europe is trying to engage everyone in the Middle East instead of lecturing countries and peoples about values and democracy, endorsing war and occupation, or getting involved in an escalation of diplomatic snubs. The biggests recent failure of European Middle-East policy was getting dragged into an embargo of the Palestinian Authority's democratically elected government.

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There is also the Alliance of Civilisations sponsored by Annan, Erdogan and Zapatero.

How's the Euromediterranean Partnership doing? I don't really know, I should read everything under that link.

The fact is, the US' middle-east policy is a big part of the problem. What is the Eu doing about it? Rolling over, containment, maybe stalling with the Iranians so Bush doesn't have a clear opening for another war.

Seriously, Spain was the only EU country to send its foreign minister to Syria during the Lebanon crisis. Things are being done on the diplomatic level. It takes time. I am getting bored with you coming in and screaming "WHAT SHOULD EUROPE DO?" "WHAT IS EUROPE DOING?"

Then again, "Europe" is not monolithhic. One of the problems is that it is actually hard to formulate 1) what is Europe's interest; 2) what is Europe actually doing as a unit [never mind which of the various definitions of "Europe" to use].

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. — Euripides

Sure, but Israel destroying the infrastructure is hardly the only thing that prevents the Palestinians from developing their economy.

What drives me nuts is this constant focus on the US and Israel.

Total economic blockade, barring off farmland behind the Wall, disruption with checkpoints inside the West Bank also have something to do with it, don't you think?

Why do you focus on them?

Because they are there, and because you started your diary with Fischer bringing up the matter.

Can we also talk about Europe's faults and what Europe could do better?

I did talk about both. I think your criticism is partly justified when considering the sub-thread on the Danish cartoons controversy, but if you are interested in Europe's faults and what Europe could do better, you could have responded to my lines on integration or past terrorism in Europe or UNIFIL.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}